History, analysis, and unabashed gossip about the start of the American Revolution in Massachusetts.

J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.

Disney and Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil are teaming up on two new projects: a feature version of the '70s TV movie The Night Stalker, and a drama about the Midnight Ride made by Paul Revere to warn Colonial militia of the impending British invasion [sic]. . . .

Dembrowski and Depp set up the Paul Revere film at Disney with Batman Forever scribes Lee and Janet Batchler writing the screenplay. The film will focus on the Boston silversmith and that 24-hour period in which he made the risky "midnight ride" from Charlestown to Lexington [sic], becoming a seminal figure in the American Revolutionary War.

That’s a possibility, and one that increases the value of the project—like Revere in 1775, Depp’s now a family man in his forties, and he’s been very successful in eighteenth-century costume (Pirates of the Caribbean, Sleepy Hollow). But both articles actually said that Depp wasn’t committed to act in the film. If it even gets made—many more Hollywood projects stall out at this early stage than reach theaters.

Furthermore, speculation that the movie might be filmed in this area falters on the fact that almost nowhere Revere went looks like it did in 1775. You remember when H.B.O. filmed John Adams here in Boston and Quincy? Neither do I.

Having had a speaking role in the recent Civil War flick "The Conspirator", directed by Redford, I can say that the same production company (The American Film Co.) has stated that they're doing script development for "Midnight Riders", the story of Revere and Concord-Lexington. Obviously I've been monitoring this very closely as "historical" films are my interest. [I was also just in "X-Men: First Class" as it deals with the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962). Last thing I heard was that (maybe) Jack Black would play Revere as he looks something like the silversmith. But Depp def. has the star power. Yeah, good luck with it filming in Mass., which I would love! More likely - Canada, Williamsburg or somewhere like Latvia or the Czech Republic. :(

I find this to be strange news: the American Film Company, the new history-geared company behind this year's film "The Conspirator" (their 1st film), has just bought the rights to David Hackett Fischer's "Paul Revere's Ride". They are just starting to draft the screenplay. It seems odd then that another company would deliberately try to make the same movie, as it usually waters down the box office values of both. Unless Disney just has a bone to pick.

Full disclosure: I'm a filmmaker and historian, and wrote "1775" and am seeking a publisher for the specific reason to one day turn it into a miniseries. (more at http://www.1775thebook.com)

I suspect that all the political interest in America’s founding made a lot of Hollywood people look at possible properties, and the story of 18-19 April stands out for its seeming straightforwardness. Fischer’s book even talks about the event’s Aristotlean unity, as I recall. And I think it’s been optioned before, with nothing coming of it.

IIRC, Stephen Spielberg wanted to shoot a film about Lexington and Concord a while back, but demurred, since Wolfgang Emmerich's "The Patriot" had done so poorly at the box office, (as it deserved...), as well as due to the drubbing Spielberg himself took for his playing fast and loose with the facts in his historical film "Amistad".